


It’s just a nice colour

by Madame



Category: Divergent (Movies), Divergent Series - Veronica Roth
Genre: Established Relationship, F/F, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-17
Updated: 2016-01-17
Packaged: 2018-05-14 14:44:14
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,109
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5748391
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Madame/pseuds/Madame
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>sequel to 'And "here" it is?' (http://archiveofourown.org/works/5697010) by elainebarrish, <br/>Evelyn Prior reaches out to Tris which leads to a dinner party.</p><p>---</p><p>‘We were very good friends, since we knew each other really, I mean we were also vastly different people.’ Evelyn wistfully looked at the horizon in front of them. ‘She was such a swat, I mean even by erudite standards.’</p><p>Tris laughed, ‘She still is.’</p><p>Evelyn grinned still looking out to the horizon,‘True but you should have seen her, hair scraped back, pencil case bursting with every colour of pen and highlighter, binders on every subject with dividers in each, it used to drive me mad. Until of course I had to study for the test the night before and she let me use her notes. I still swear she's the only reason I even passed all my classes.’</p><p>‘What happened?’</p><p>Evelyn shrugged, ‘I left.’</p>
            </blockquote>





	It’s just a nice colour

**Author's Note:**

  * For [elainebarrish](https://archiveofourown.org/users/elainebarrish/gifts).



> i hate this i cant believe i've written this what the fuck, tori, alex, tess, celine and everyone else on twitter are to blame, i dont care if i'm the one who dragged you into this pit, i dont care, you're to blame.
> 
> anyway this is a sequel to 'And "here" it is?' (http://archiveofourown.org/works/5697010) which i cant believe was written and its amazing and i love you for all the hc talks and the fact you wrote 10k is amazing and this is sort of ??? a part thank you ??? and that one should really be read before you read this one bc it sets up the whole AU

‘Does she still do that not quite snoring heavy breathing thing.’

Tris jerked her head up to see Evelyn leaning in the doorway of the corridor.

‘Does she-?’

‘The heavy breathing, when she sleeps. It’s almost snoring but it never actually breaks, it used to drive me insane.’ Evelyn pushed herself away from the doorframe, and made her way over to the table Tris was sat at in the library.

Tris’ eyebrows furrowed and she looked back down at one of the books spread open in front of her.

‘I wouldn’t know Evelyn.’

Evelyn snorted as she sat down and leaned back in her chair, ‘Really? we’re going to play this game.’

Tris turned a page in the book as if she was reading it and wasn't trying to deal with her heart doing 200bpm or her palms sweating. ‘What game?’

Evelyn rolled her eyes, ‘The one where you pretend you’re not dating Jeanine and I pretend I don't know.’

Tris turned her chin sharply to Evelyn, her voice rising, ‘Me dating Jeanine is the-’ 

‘Most ridiculous thing you’ve heard?’ Evelyn finished, eyebrowed raised, ‘Tris please, I’m not the one who was having almost daily visits with Jeanine in her cell, bringing her books and  _ poetry, _ ’ she gave her a pointed look at the last word. ‘and has now  _ moved in _ with and is living a blissful domestic life with her’

‘I was just.’ Tris scowled, ‘I was just doing a public service, they’re weren’t giving her anything in there, she should have at least had something to read I mean its not like she could have…’ she trailed off as Evelyn’s eyebrow reached new heights. ‘We’re friendly ok?’ She finished angrily ‘There’s nothing more.’ She looked back down at her book, away from Evelyn’s gaze. ‘I’m just there as a guard basically.’

‘Mm-hmm,’ Evelyn hummed, ‘And ‘guards’ take their charges to classy events do they? While wearing, might I add, a colour that has long been associated with said charge.’

‘It’s just a nice colour.’ Tris mumbled still frowning.

‘Pardon?’ Evelyn leaned forward, her lips splitting into a grin finally.

Tris looked up and scowled again, ‘Was there something you actually wanted from me Evelyn?’

‘Well, I guess not right now while you’re still playing this silly game.’ she stood, chair scraping across the stone floor.

‘All you want to do is talk to me about Jeanine? Have you actually talked to Jeanine herself?’

Evelyn actually seem to balk at that and faltered for the first time Tris has known her, ‘That’s not, a particularly good idea.’

It dawned on Tris, ‘You’re using me a proxy for Jeanine.’

‘I thought you might like to talk to someone about your situation as you seem determined to keep it to yourself, forgive me for thinking of someone other than myself.’ Evelyn huffed.

‘Don’t try and play that stint with me, why would I talk to Jeanine to you?’ Tris leant forward ‘Why would you want me to? Last time I saw you together you were practically read to kill her’

‘Tris you’re getting ridiculous.’ She started walking back to the door, ‘Forget this even happened.’

‘Evelyn!’ Tris stood as she passed through the door but she heard nothing in return.

  
  


+++

 

‘It’s not domestic bliss you know, she never washes up by hand and insists on putting it in the washing up machine which means we run out of plates in like 3 days and the machine isn't even full, it drives me crazy’ Tris had found Evelyn leaning on one of the foyer balconies of Erudite, looking out to the sunset breaking over the city.

Evelyn blinked blankly at Tris for a few seconds, ‘Is this-’

‘And she’s really pedantic about coffee, I bought the wrong brand last week and she complained so much while drinking it that I actually had to go out and buy the  _ proper _ ’ she made quotes with her fingers, ‘brand so she’d stop nagging me. I mean which I do understand as she can't leave the house on her own, but it’s just coffee y’know?’ She finally looked up at Evelyn who seemed to be having a hard time controlling her face and was caught in the middle of ‘extreme surprise’ and ‘complete enrapture’.

‘Why did you want to find out how Jeanine was?’ Tris tried. ‘Especially while you wanted to murder her a year ago’

Evelyn shook her hair and stood up straighter, ‘I’ve bettered myself from then.’

‘You could ask anyone else but me about Jeanine, Evelyn’

‘No-one who would actually know though. You should know as well as I that she won’t let anything slip that she doesn't want to with someone she doesn't trust’

‘She used to trust you?’

Evelyn laughed, ‘Completely.’ she paused and looked down at her fingers clasped in front of her over the railing briefly before looking back to tris. ‘I don't know of Tobias ever told you but, I came from Erudite originally, and of course so did Jeanine.’

‘So you two knew each other?’ Things started to click into place.

‘We were very good friends, since we knew each other really, I mean we were also vastly different people.’ Evelyn wistfully looked at the horizon in front of them. ‘She was such a swat, I mean even by erudite standards.’

Tris laughed, ‘She still is.’

Evelyn grinned still looking out to the horizon,‘True but you should have seen her, hair scraped back, pencil case bursting with every colour of pen and highlighter, binders on every subject with dividers in each, it used to drive me mad. Until of course I had to study for the test the night before and she let me use her notes. I still swear she's the only reason I even passed all my classes.’

‘What happened?’

Evelyn shrugged, ‘I left.’

 

+++

 

‘I just spoke to Evelyn’

‘Oh?’ Jeanine said, typing pausing from the other room.

‘Yeah.’ Tris picked a glass from the cupboard. ‘She told me how you two used to be friends and how you were the biggest nerd to have existed,’ She poured herself a glass of orange juice from the fridge. ‘I told her you still were.’

Jeanine’s chuckle was accompanied by the sound of her putting her laptop down and walking to the kitchen door, leaning of the frame. ‘I think I even used to try and deny it.’

‘Of course you did.’ Tris grinned and leaned into kiss her softly in greeting. ‘She said you used to have a binder full of notes with colour coded dividers and everything.’

‘Well if they hadn’t destroyed my old belongings you could have seen for yourself.’

‘Ok that is officially the nerdiest thing I have ever heard.’

‘They were useful for when I eventually tutored the younger students.’ Jeanine shrugged.

‘No I think that was.’

Jeanine rolled her eyes but smiled, ‘Not all of us just jumped off buildings for their faction.’

‘No they kept on to their 13 year old self meticulous notes so they could teach the younger generations’

Jeanine moved into the kitchen to flick the kettle on, she turned and rested her hip on the counter. ‘Why did Evelyn want to talk to you? it can't have just been about to reminisce about our childhood.’

Tris took a drink from her glass. ‘She just wanted to know how you were doing I think. I told her we were dating as well, ok well rather she found out and I didn't deny it,’ she corrected as she saw jeanine start to frown. ‘It’s not like we’ve exactly tried to hide it and as she pointed out, I did quite literally bring you poetry’

Jeanine sighed, ‘I suppose if someone had to know, it might as well be her.’ she shifted her hip on the counter. ‘She didn’t tell you we used to date did she.’

Tris nearly spilt her drink, ‘No, not at all.’ 

‘Careful.’ Jeanine chidded. ‘It was when we were much younger, 14 or 15, and well, as you know, I stayed in Erudite, and she left.’ she smiled. ‘Rather dramatically I might add.’

‘She married Marcus though, surely you must have seen her again.’ The kettle popped as it finished boiling and Jeanine moved, making her tea.

‘Yes, we reunited when Marcus was running for the position.’ Jeanine's back was to Tris and she couldn't see her face.

‘And she never told you about her plan?’

Jeanine glanced back at Tris and shook her head. ‘We’d even somewhat made up. She uh, had an affair before she faked her death.’ She took the milk from the fridge. ‘It was with me.’

‘Jeanine…’ Tris faltered before she reached out for Jeanine’s hand, she felt a small tremble building. ‘And she never told you that…’

Jeanine turned to her and gave her a tight lipped smiled, eyes wrinkling. ‘Like I said, she's very dramatic in her exits from people's lives.’

‘Jeanine that’s-,’ Tris started to say before Jeanine interrupted her

‘No, she was in an impossible situation, I mean if I had been where she was, and Marcus.’ she shook her head. ‘She made her choice, and that's hers alone.’

Tris nodded and rubbed the back of Jeanine's hand once before kissing it and letting it go.

‘Want to watch a movie tonight?’ she asked, letting the subject drop as well. Jeanine leant over and kissed her forehead in a form of silent thanks.

‘We have that sequel to the one we watched last week right? The one you swear is actually better than the original’

Tris laughed ‘All the reviews said it was! You can't blame me if it’s not.’

 

+++

 

‘I think I’m going to invite Evelyn over next week for dinner.’ They were on the sofa, watching the credits roll, Jeanine had her head on Tris’ shoulder and an arm around her waist. The blanket had fallen to their laps about 40 minutes ago when they’d gotten too hot but been reluctant to move. Tris moved her own arm from around Jeanine and tucked a stray blonde hair behind Jeanine’s ear. ‘It would be good for you to see each other again. It’s been a year, she promises me she’s moved on from trying to kill you.’

Jeanine laughed softly and Tris could feel the exhaled breath at her neck and the vibrations through their pressed bodies. ‘I’m sure she did.’

‘What do you think?’

Jeanine shifted against Tris, pulling her closer. ‘I think,’ she started. ‘I think having dinner with two women who wanted me dead over a year ago is the best idea you’ve had.’

Tris’ laugh escaped her as surprised bark. ‘Ok, but for the record, I never want to kill you-’

‘No just stab me.’

‘Stop you! I just wanted to stop you.’

‘By stabbing me.’

‘Jeanine, honestly when will you let it go.’

‘When my hand stops twitching whenever you pick up a knife.’ Tris turned to Jeanine with her head still on Tris’ shoulder and saw her grin spreading across her face.

‘Ow, well that means that I never have to cook ever again?’

‘Tris when do you ever cook.’

‘I made that really good cheese pasta with bacon last week!’

‘Mm-hmm’

‘And look anyway, I’m not the one who kept the bandage on for  _ far  _ longer than was necessary. Honestly it must have healed within a matter of weeks.’

Jeanine kept suspiciously silent and Tris looked down at her again. ‘It didn't heal correctly.’ she muttered into Tris’ neck.

‘It what?’

‘It’s didn't...heal correctly.’ Jeanine repeated, sounding far less sure of herself, face still pressed into Tris.

‘Jeanine you were surrounded by the best medical doctors in all the factions and that knife was a very clean cut, how on earth did it not heal properly,’

Jeanine muttered something else.

‘Pardon?’

‘I  _ said _ .’ Jeanine started as she lifted her head up and glared at Tris, ‘I might have left it on for other reasons.’ she watched Tris’ lip curl into a very smug smile. ‘Oh shut up.’

‘Are  _ you _ .’ Tris started, unable to keep the glee from her voice, ‘Jeanine Matthews, telling me, Tris Prior, that you kept that bandage on your hand for longer because it reminded you of me.’

Jeanine just answered her with another glare. ‘Remind me of who I needed to kill.’

‘I think you mean seduce, because by my reckoning that exactly what you did, and now you have me utterly under your thumb.’ Tris was definitely going to tease her more about the bandage later but she let it drop and pressed a kiss to Jeanine’s cheek.

Jeanine smiled again, ‘Ah yes my plan all along was to be under house arrest, living with the divergent who destroyed all of my plans and being unable to leave this apartment without her accompaniment, well done me, plan well and truly executed.’

Tris laughed and twisted in her seat, taking Jeanine's face in her hands. ‘Well this divergent thinks it was a pretty great plan.’

Jeanine hummed and leaned forward to pressed her lips against Tris’ ‘This divergent  _ would _ .’

 

Jeanine agreed to invite Evelyn to dinner the next morning over her first cup of coffee.

‘Well, I’m glad.’ Tris said, before she ate a mouthful of toast.

‘It’ll be...good to see her again.’

Tris grinned. ‘You can reminisce about old times and I get to learn about all of the things you got up to, although, from what you told me last night the most daring thing you probably did was once not write your name on top of a piece of homework.’ she laughed. ‘You made up for it later it seems.’

Jeanine shook her head but smiled as she took a sip of coffee.

 

+++

 

Tris opened the door to Evelyn holding a bottle of wine.

‘I wasn't sure what was best to bring to a situation like this but I figured it was a safe bet.’ she held the wine out to Tris who took it and stepped back to let her in.

‘Definity a safe bet.’ Tris smiled and gestured to take Evelyn's coat.

Jeanine appeared around the doorway from the kitchen. ‘Evelyn.’ 

Evelyn turned from shrugging off her coat for Tris. Tris could feel an undercurrent of tension just starting to whine before Evelyn looked down at the apron Jeanine was wearing. 

‘...near dictator?’ she cocked her head.

Jeanine looked down at her own apron where the words ‘ _ KISS THE  _ ~~_ COOK _ ~~ _ near dictator. _ ’ were printed on to the fabric, with the latter adjustment seemingly done by a black permanent marker. ‘Oh you mean Tris’ idea of a thank you present.’ she smiled at Evelyn and the tension broke.

‘Very apt.’

‘Come through.’ Jeanine gestured to the kitchen, ‘We’ll eat in a moment but I think a glass of wine is in order.’

 

+++

 

‘So you what, snuck around the abnegation quarters and no-one saw you?’ Tris asked, eyebrows raised, chin in hands with her elbows either side of her finished plate on the table.

‘Tris, honestly you know as well as I how rule bent abnegation are, they were all tucked up in their beds, we had the place to ourselves.’ Evelyn laughed from where she was leaning back on her chair, an arm slung over the back, the most relaxed Tris had ever seen her.

‘To leave glitter on everyone's doorstep...’ 

‘The place was so grey, we were trying to,’ she shrugged and looked at Jeanine, ‘Spice it up a bit, give them some colour.’

Jeanine shook her head but she was smiling, ‘I can't believe I let you talk me into that one. I mean I-’ Her smile faded and she looked down at hand on the table.

‘Jeanine?’ Tris asked quietly, touching a hand to her arm where she was sat next to her at the table. 

Jeanine seemed to shake herself out of her retrieve, smiling plastically at them both. ‘Nothing, don’t worry.’ she stood from the table and started to collect the plates, Tris stood as well.

‘I should be doing this, you’ve cooked.’ Jeanine just walked into the kitchen, leaving Tris is pick up the remaining crockery and follow her after giving a brief glance to Evelyn who wasn't looking anywhere but her own lap where she was rubbing the palm of her hand repeatedly.

Tris jumped as Jeanine put down the plates with more force than necessary, creating a loud crash that would be heard in the dining room.

‘Jeanine.’ Tris tried again softly, putting down the plates next to the others on the counter. Jeanine had her head bowed and both hands pressed on the surface in front of her. ‘Jeanine what's wrong.’

Jeanine raised her head to Tris and she could see the tears threatening to spill. ‘Oh Jeanine.’ Tris drew her towards her and wrapped her arms around her shoulders. Jeanine numbly returned the hug on muscle memory, wrapping her hands around Tris’ waist.

They stood like that for a few heartbeats before Jeanine pulled back. ‘Well it was going well.’ she gave Tris a small smile and Tris’ huffed a laugh.

‘Better than you thought?’

‘I can't believe we made it all the way through the starter and the main.’

‘Are you ok, well, ok enough to make it through the pudding anyway.’

Jeanine smiled and pressed a soft kiss to her lips, ‘Yes, I’ll survive Tris.’ she pulled away from her, ‘Now, help me carry the panna cotta out.’

When they entered the dining room again Evelyn seemed to have calmed as well. ‘What's next chef?’

‘Panna cotta, apparently they’re very good but no-one but Tris has tried them in a year.’ Evelyn laughed.

 

+++

 

‘Well that wasn't that bad.’ Jeanine said, leaning back on the sofa and taking a sip from her glass of a newly opened bottle of white.

Tris took the glass as she settled down beside her, taking sip as well, ‘You’re both still alive so really I think that's points to me.’

Jeanine gently nudged her with her shoulder. ‘All your work as always.’

‘Of course.’ she grinned. Jeanine took back the glass.

‘It wasn't your worse idea.’ she took a sip. ‘It was nice...to talk to her again, talk to her about that time in our lives.’ she smiled. ‘I’d even forgotten some of it.’

‘That's what happens when you try to enslave five whole factions and rule the city, things slip through the cracks, it happens to the best of us.’ Tris shrugged

Jeanine just rolled her eyes and nudged Tris’ shoulder again. ‘Please shut up.’

Tris took the glass from Jeanine and set it on the table before winding her arms around Jeanine’s neck. 

‘Make me.’


End file.
